Avatar: The Red City
by peonylane
Summary: 60 years after the Fall of Kuvira, balance is threatened in the United Republic as clashing opinions meet and a growing power emerges from within. Will the next Avatar – a teenager with a head full of optimism and a Satoman Disc Player full of pop songs – be ready to change the world? The next generation of the Avatar, set in its equivalent 80's, dude.
1. Prologue

_"Republic City is a city of dreamers, of people moving to accomplish many things. A city of spirits and technology, and the hub of the imagination for a generation. But none of this would be possible without the Avatars past – first, the great Avatar Aang, who returned to conclude the Hundred Year War. And next, the departed Avatar Korra, a woman who fought to reform the connection between people and spirits."_

The newscaster's eyes didn't betray her true opinion on the matter, glassy and polished like a good reporter. In both life and death, Avatar Korra had been a controversial figure. As technology advanced and democracy soared, the inherent nature of the Avatar had been something to question. Why was it her duty to be the determinant force behind so many critical decisions? Many of these extended past the negotiations between people and spirits. Further – Korra's personal life had often been the topic of heated debate and criticism. It had been rumored after a shocking public kiss that Korra's publicist had prevented her from any signs of affection besides holding hands.

With this in mind, at every public appearance Korra she held the famed CEO Asami Sato's hand whenever physically possible, often with a rebellious smile flashed towards the cameras.

Despite these critiques, Avatar Korra bore many accomplishments under her name. She brought spirits back to the world. She reinvigorated the unity between technology and the inherent magic of the world. She brought back Airbenders and their culture, and above all else, and proved that love and acceptance were the keys to uniting nations. Her loss was something the world had never expected – the avatar had become a polarizing character whose absence left a hole in public spirit.

The newscaster looked back up from her papers, lipstick and cobalt eyeshadow lacquered on with a glossy sheen. Since the advent of color a couple decades earlier, everything on the televiewer had grown increasing vibrant – even cartoonish. Movers and televiewers had only grown more radical, to borrow a common phrase.

Her voice continued with the steady, enunciated drone of the news. _"Today, we commemorate the fifth anniversary of the death of Avatar Korra, and honor her service to Republic City and the world at large. Her closest friend, retired president of Future Industries Asami Sato, is scheduled to speak at Aang Memorial Island today at 5:00 P.M.-"_ The anchorwoman continued, oblivious to the fact that no one in this particular Republic City apartment was listening to her broadcast.

Beyond the screen, Jiro watched his family with a bent smile from behind the lens of a state-of-the-art camcorder – a new Future Industries creation. It was the size of a cinderblock and purchased precariously on his shoulder, but Jiro didn't seem to mind. Not as long as he had his wife and daughter frozen forever on long strands of recorded tape. He was short for a man, with a boyish face behind a coarse black beard. Behind wire-framed glasses, his eyes perpetually crinkled in laughter. Jiro spoke with the playfulness of a young father, living the Republic City Dream.

"Pull Ari closer, I can barely see her!"

"Come on Ari, say hi to Daddy!" Hana coaxed, smiling both at her daughter and at the man behind the lens. Her hair was chocolate brown and wavy, split right down the middle. From behind dark, heavy bangs, the rest of her face peeked out – vibrant green eyes hidden in a patch of freckles. Her small but wiry limbs were hidden behind a billowy seafoam blouse, tucked inside oat-colored overalls. And in front of her was the girl – Ariko – who was unquestionably her mother in miniature, but with the stockiness of her father and an uncontrollable halo of black, wiry curls. Her gap-toothed grin, green eyes and freckles sat in a round face. She waved her hand rapidly, twirling the skirt of her flowy sundress with embroidered leaves at the hem.

"Hi Daddy!" She squealed, scrambling to hug at his leg before standing on her tip-toes to examine the camera more closely. Jiro stepped backwards and laughed, shaking his head.

"Not so close, Ari – Hana, can you keep her back a little bit? I want to send this to your mom, she's been dying to hear from us-"

"-I know, she's been wanting us to actually make a trip out to Ba Sing Se, but I keep telling her about how busy work's been keeping you… Do we have to have this on film? Can you edit this out?"

"I think we can, but I want to just try a couple more things-"

"-You just want to play with your new toy, Jiro-"

"Yes. Yes I do want to play with my new toy." He chuckled. "But we also want to make some memories with the birthday girl!" His voiced levelled off in a playful growl, to Ariko's screeches of amusement. "Show mommy what you can do, Ariko."

Ari tilted her head – the disastrously fluffy black mess of hair plopping over her shoulder. "Do what, Daddy?"

"Show her your Earthbending! Like Mommy and Daddy can do."

Hana bent down closer to her daughter, with a shy smile, as she flicked her hand and the piece of sandstone resting on the apartment's bookshelf fluttered downwards. She balled her hand into a fist, and the face of the rock crumpled into itself, an indentation of a smile pressing into its side. Ariko clapped her hands giddily, snatching the rock from the air.

"Can you show Mommy your bending?" Hana coaxed, kissing Ari on the cheek. "Like this-" She took hold of Ariko's hand, taking the sandstone piece gently in her own palm. Ari gently made a few clumsy hand movements, and the rock lobbed itself out of Hana's hand, to the enthusiastic cheers of both parents. "Good job!"

"She's a natural-" Hana marveled.

"Unlike her father." Jiro snarked from behind the camera, prompting an eye roll from his wife.

Ariko flicked her wrist, concentrating on a few of the motions her mom had been carefully practicing with her for a while. _Teach them early,_ Hana had recalled reading in one of her parenting magazines, _children with early introduction to bending can quickly develop accelerated skills, leading to the development of higher-tier bending arts like metalbending._ Jiro was right, he was a poor excuse for a bender, only capable of really moving some of their household items, but Hana had always believed that had she started at a younger age she could have been a marvelous metalbender…

Ari practiced a little bit longer, growing greedy for more of her parent's applause. Jiro couldn't help but find the whole situation endearing. "Look at that Hana – she's just showing off now."

And Ariko certainly was. She squirmed away from Hana, rolling the hovering rock in front of her, and quickly posing before the camera, trying to draw the attention of home-movie audiences to come.

"Yay Ari! Can you change the rock, like Mommy showed you?" Hana said, motioning with her fists to demonstrate. Ariko looked over the rock, and tried to imitate the motion, but the rock only vibrated slightly mid-air before tumbling, crunching into three uneven pieces.

"I broke it." She pouted, sitting down.

"You didn't break it, honey." Jiro consoled her, putting down the bulky camera on the coffee table, and scooping Ari up in his arms. Hana bent the rock back into its normal shape and place on the shelf. "Bending takes practice!"

"You did good, my big, birthday girl." Hana agreed, brushing stray fluffs of hair from Ari's face. She had already begun to try and wriggle out of her father's arms. It was only a matter of seconds before she was on the ground, leaving Hana and Jiro to just laugh with each other.

"You already got everything set for the party tonight?" Jiro said, bending down to fiddle with the camera, which was still recording and blinking its indicative red light.

"Yeah, I just need to call your brother and see if he was going to let us borrow the extra table- Oh, would you be alright with picking up the cake in a little bit? I was going to try and get some laundry going-"

"Sure. No problem. I can get to that now. Did you hear back from-" Jiro's voice cut off as he turned to look down at Ari, whose hands were quickly at work again in the peculiar movements of attempted bending. The room went silent, save for a fast food commercial on the TV behind them. Ari flicked her palms, and Jiro raised a curious eyebrow. "What're you doing, Ari?"

"Practicing." She replied curtly, flicking her wrist a few times. After four more attempts, a tiny flame sputtered to life in her palm, and she turned to Jiro and Hana, expecting the same kind of tireless praise as had been the norm for her previous forays into the world of bending. Instead, there was only silence. Hana's skin went white, in stark contrast to the darkness of her freckles, and Jiro quickly fumbled with the camera, stopping its recording and rapidly flicking his gaze between the virtual fire on its miniature screen, and the very real one that had crackled to life in his daughter's hands. Ariko's face fell, the flame retreating into smoke as she realized that fire wasn't perhaps what her parents were expecting. Tears immediately began to form in her eyes.

"Shh, shh, it's okay Sweetie." Hana apologized, rushing to her daughter's side to give her a hug, while exchanging wordless panicked glances with her husband. Jiro only continued to rewind the video in his hand, eyes widening further every time.

"It's not possible, I mean… This could have been anyone, there are hundreds – no, thousands! - of other – How-" He mumbled, the tiny fire on the camcorder disappearing and then reappearing every few seconds as he repeatedly rewound the film. With increasing panic, he looked to Hana for some kind of answer. His voice seemed to reach a new octave with each fragment of speech. "She's… Our daughter is… What do we do about this?"

Hana swallowed, looking back at the TV where the pristine anchor repeated her segment on the fifth anniversary of Korra's death. _"There has been no indication as to whether or not the identity of the next Avatar, who is anticipated to be of Earth Kingdom heritage, has been identified. The White Lotus organization and Asami Sato both decline comment, indicating that the Avatar is not traditionally introduced to society until the age of sixteen, with both Avatars Aang and Korra marked as exceptions."_

Hana sighed, hugging Ari tightly, feeling the heaviness in her chest grow more and more by the second. "Call your brother; tell him that we have to reschedule the party."

"Reschedule?" Jiro echoed.

"We need to meet with Asami Sato. As soon as possible."

None of this talk made much sense to Ariko, who was trying her hardest to follow, and figure out why she had upset them so bad. Above all else, she prayed to the powers that be that at the end of the day, she'd still have cake. It was her birthday, and amidst change and turmoil, there should be at least _one_ small constant.


	2. Chapter 1

" _Tashi, I just can't be with you any more."_

 _"But Fae, we were meant to be together!"_

 _"No Tashi – you only thought so. For the past two weeks, you've been dating my twin sister, Jae!"_

Ariko's green eyes were glued to the screen, a long piece of rope candy dangling from her lips. The drama was almost too much for her to handle, as the pink-haired Jae stepped from behind her onscreen curtain, lips curled in a devilish smirk. An audible gasp was heard – both from Tashi and Fae onscreen, and the fourteen-year-old off. Tashi – a man with swooping haircut and a perfectly square chin – fell to the ground, shouting in dramatic over-enunciation.

" _Jae! How could you do this? What we had was special!"_

Jae merely crossed her arm, swiveling her tiger-striped miniskirt-clad hips. " _Special? Then how were you able to move on so quickly after you thought the firebenders killed me?"_

The camera zoomed in towards Tashi's face, where a single tear was shown in the oversaturated light of the televiewer. Ari felt herself dragged away from the drama as the narrator began in his zealous voice as neon shapes scattered onscreen behind floating names of actors and actresses. " _Will Jae forgive Tashi? What will happen to Fae in the wake of her sister's return? Will Rexx's music career take off? Tune in next week for the latest episode of… HEARTBENDERS."_

"Didn't see that one coming." Called a bemused voice from behind Ari. Ari scooted up and looked over her shoulder, seeing her mom's familiar dark waves of brown hair. "Shouldn't you be working on homework, Ari?"

Ari adjusted her green sweater so it was properly off-the-shoulder, revealing the purple tank underneath. "…Should, probably. But I had to see this episode. It was crazy!" She waved her hands for emphasis. "Jae's alive! I had no idea… And to think I was criticizing Tashi for dating her sister after the fire…"

"We all were." Chuckled Hana, who picked up the remote and clicked off the TV. "But Heartbenders isn't on for another week, and your homework is due tomorrow." Ariko reluctantly pushed herself up, grabbing her purple backpack from the armchair of the living room at her mom's urging.

Ari gave her best innocent doe-eyes. "Can I at least work outside?"

Hana shook her head, shrugging. "Sure, just be sure to come if it starts raining."

With the added jolt of working under the stars, Ariko swung the backpack over one shoulder and scampered down the stairs, giving a brief wave to her father who hovered over a magazine at the kitchen table. She snapped the front door shut behind her, taking her favorite spot in the well-worn rocking chair on the front porch.

It was a beautiful night. The sky was dark, painted inky blue-black with white pin stars littered. And she could see the sky reflected perfectly on the ocean – visible in the distance far beyond her lit cul-de-sac and the cluttered sidewalks of home. Ariko's home was an island, and she often forgot the privileges that came with this type of residence. The town of Shudao had sprung up from on top of land that clustered about mangrove trees, which cast knobby shadows on every yard and by every street. But the gentrification had been swift, taming the town's wildness into a sleepy hamlet dotted with playgrounds, parent-teacher organizations, and children under the age of ten. _Nothing like the vibrant locale of Republic City, with flashy lights, resident spirits and mover stars,_ Ariko thought bitterly.

Ariko dreamed of the world she saw on the televiewer. While she loved home – the swing set in the backyard, the shack that sold snow-cones in the summer – she felt as though she had outgrown it. Ari's heart was set on adventure, which seemed to avoid Shudao like the plague.

She sighed, casting her gaze from the starlit ocean to the street lamp-lit pavement, and then to the words of her history textbook, entailing the history of the Great War. "Everything changed when the fire nation attacked." She mumbled, reiterating the famous quote with little enthusiasm. She skimmed over the struggles of nations against Firelord Ozai, and the heroics of Avatar Aang. Most kids her age knew this history from childhood, but it was always memorizing the individual battles and minor players in the struggle that gave Ari trouble on exams. She scanned the lines for just the sections needed for the workbook, but kept finding her mind drifting towards her show. Either that, or finding her thoughts cluttered with the latest song she'd heard on Vibe Televiewer – VTV. A catchy number with added synthesizer and dance moves she'd have to practice as soon as she finished filling in blanks about Ba Sing Se.

There was a rustle of feathers and a meow-hoot, and Ari suddenly felt a heavy weight plop down on her tangled, almost-triangular nest of curls. She laughed, feeling the shape move to perch on her shoulders. "Heya Nova – I was wondering where you were. Find any good spider rats?" Nova was a cat owl with a large frame and thick, storm-gray fur. Her eyes were vivid blue, and perhaps on the right day she could be mistaken for something fearsome – but the neon pink collar and her docile behavior quickly gave her away as a housepet. Ari stroked Nova behind her ear, and she gave a cooing purr of appreciation. "Sit with me while I finish this dumb worksheet?"

Nova happily complied, fluttering down by Ariko's side. She tightened her wings against her body, fluffy tail flicking back and forth.

Ari turned the page, dwelling on Aang – the famed "Last Airbender". She knew the stories of his return from ice by heart, and his hundred-year youth. The stories of how he ended the war as just a child were famous. And Ari herself had always felt herself drawn to the Avatars themselves, studying the histories of Aang and Korra – Kyoshi and Roku. As an Earthbender, she had always felt capable and strong, but she could hardly fathom the idea of controlling all the elements. Sometimes she thought she imagined that she triggered a breeze, or witnessed a spark jump from her palm. But every time she alerted her parents, they dismissed her, saying she was seeing things or wasn't getting enough sleep. Perhaps they were right. Avatars carried themselves with a sort of dignity and bravery that Ariko never had. And Ari certainly never got enough sleep.

The Avatar still hadn't been located though – or perhaps he or she had, and the powers that be were keeping quiet. That seemed the more likely conclusion. She'd read that avatars were usually found at sixteen, but with Aang at twelve, and Korra at four – it seemed unlikely that he or she would go this long without rearing their head. Especially since they'd be instantly famous. Wouldn't that be something? Korra was always in the news, especially when travelling with the glamourous Asami Sato. (Granted, she was a fairly controversial icon – but in Ariko's mind, for the right reasons. From what her parents had told her, Korra acted with nothing but bravery and love through the ages.)

Beautiful and heroic. Some people were born to be something wonderful. Ariko felt a stab of jealousy, turning away from her dreaming and back towards finishing a couple more answers. Contenting herself with the work – a solid B at the very least, she figured – Ari shoved the homework into her backpack, alerting Nova to flutter away in surprise, and then darted inside. She had a dance break to learn.

The next day, Ariko got a C- on her pop quiz in History. But she did successfully memorize the dance during the first chorus of Emi Starr's smash hit song, "Heart Gone Cray-Z." She practiced some more in her head as she walked home, the tune repeating over and over through the lime green headphones of her Satoman music player. Few people knew the secret diva in Ari, but perhaps that's just because few people knew her very well – she was a star in her imagination, but absolutely silent and withdrawn at school. She had learned to keep her mouth quiet ever since Orin Li made fun of her hair, saying that it looked like a mop that had been struck by lightning. This arguably wasn't far from the truth… But still.

Her parents were usually on their way home from work at this time. Hana worked at a local flower shop, while Jiro did something confusing and business-y at an office. Ariko fumbled with the key in her back-pocket, but stopped as she saw two unfamiliar figures standing on the front porch of her white block of a house. Their silhouettes were the only shapes visible from under the shadows of a pair of mangroves twisting through her front yard. The larger shadow knocked at the door, leaning to say something to its companion. Ari slipped the key back to its place in her acid-wash jeans, and cautiously approached.

"Can I help you?" She called behind them, and immediately the two turned around.

The larger figure was a woman, but a woman unlike any of the soccer moms Ari recognized. She had thick black hair wrangled in a braid that drooped down one of her broad shoulders, hints of gray streaked throughout. Ari couldn't think of a better word then to describe her but just that - broad. She was tall and muscular, dressed in a hunter green jacket, collared shirt, and high-waisted pocketed pants tucked into tall boots. Despite her stature, the woman gave off a jovial impression. Her olive-green eyes twinkled, and she bore a dominating smile that cut into a pair of dimples. A grinning Amazon.

To her left though was another younger woman, with tan skin and dark eyes, who was as slender as her companion was bulky. She struck Ari as both intimidating and exceptionally beautiful, with dusky, heavily lashed eyes and thin lips that compressed themselves into an unreadable expression. Her head was shaved save for a small shock of brown hair that tumbled down one side of her forehead. Underneath a lavender tattoo extended in the shape of an arrow. _An Airbender!_ Ari took note of her loose orange tunic and burgundy leggings, blinking in disbelief.

She had never met a true Airbender. Old woman Jun down the road often liked to rant about how she was once recruited to join the new Air nation, but she didn't want to leave her family. The most Airbending that Ariko had ever witnessed was June trying to clear leaves from her pavement with waggly arm motions.

The larger woman extended her hand. "Hi, would you be able to tell us if this is the residence of a couple by the names of Hana and Jiro Ashita?"

Ari paused. "Those are my parents. They aren't in right now." Ordinarily she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, but there was something peculiar about this exchange. Her parents had never told her about an Airbender acquaintance. A secret life suddenly seemed plausible, sending her imagination tumbling out of control.

She smiled even bigger, if possible. "You must be Ariko! This is Xun, and I'm Mika. It's fantastic to finally meet you!" Xun didn't say anything, but nodded in response.

"How do you know my name?" Ari's heavy brows furrowed at the unfamiliar faces, suddenly alarmed. _That's why you don't talk to strangers, Ari._ She scolded herself. _They'll start to creep you out._

Mika looked ready to talk again, but was interrupted by Xun. While Mika's voice was loud and spirited, Xun's was a frozen stone fetched from the depths of a river. "Before we explain anything, we need to ask you few questions."

"Hey Ari, who's that at the door?" Shouted a voice from behind Ari that she immediately recognized as her father's. The wire frames of his glasses were askew as he ran towards them, puffing slightly. His eyes immediately ran over Xun's tattoos, and he paused, going dead silent, even though his breathing had not quite settled to normal yet.

"You must be Mr. Jiro Ashita. Xun." She extended hand, and Ari couldn't resist the opportunity again to marvel at the arrow that crossed over her slender fingers. Jiro stared blankly at the hand, before finally taking it with a brisk shake. Jiro was slightly taller than Xun, but she seemed to tower over him with her striking features and trim shape. "Can we come in for tea?" Xun asked, but it came across as a statement.

Jiro didn't answer at first, rubbing his beard, before caving to the request. "Of course." He unlocked the door with a rattling of keys, holding it open for the two ladies, Ariko following just behind. She paused as the two women walked into the living room, staring straight up at her father.

"Do you know them? Why is there an Airbender at our house?"

"Just go inside, Ari. I'll tell you in a little bit." He mumbled in response, shutting the door behind them as he went to prepare tea, boiling water in their squat electric kettle.

It was bizarre to sit across from the two women. Xun rested lightly on the shell-pink loveseat, completely still, while Mika fidgeted and took in every nook and cranny of their modest house. Ari could see a smile crack as she caught a glimpse of a picture on the fireplace. From within, a baby Ari waved, face obscured in a brown smear of chocolate cake. No one was saying anything, but Jiro returned quickly, setting the tea down on the end-table with the clink of glasses. He cleared his throat, taking an uneasy spot on the couch by Ariko, rubbing his shoulder.

Mika started, her words bumbling out. It was clear the whole 'silence' bit was getting to her. And even though it was clear she was a little older – fifties, maybe? – she had the energy of a woman half her age. "Xun and I are representatives of-"

Xun lifted her hand to cut Mika off, pulling a drawstring back from the cloth sack that had been swung loosely around her shoulder. "First, I'm going to show you a large number of small objects. I want you to pick one. Any one."

"Hey!" Jiro protested, but it was too late. Xun dumped the contents of the velvet bag on the coffee table, where about fourty odds and ends spilled out. Rocks, buttons, pieces of wood. There didn't seem to be much of a rhyme or reason to them. Ari raised an eyebrow, looking down at all of the objects with a frown.

"…Just pick?"

"Just pick." Xun coaxed, scrutinizing her movements.

Ari had a hard time picking the first object. Her hand hovered for a few moments over a round turquoise button, and then a coarse piece of volcanic rock. But she settled on a cream-colored feather with a brown tip, picking it up gently and handing it to the Airbender. Xun smiled in approval.

"Just as we expected." She said with a passing, but very genuine, smile. She turned the the feather over in her hand, its delicate fibers resting carefully in her palm. "This feather was once part of a necklace worn by Avatar Korra."She took the feather in both hands, taking Ari's own hands. The airbender's small grip was deceptively strong. "You selected this feather because of its calling to your past life."

"Of course, we weren't _actually_ a hundred percent on the past life thing, considering Korra herself severed those – but we figured that you'd probably be able to connect with Korra herself still, right?" Mika interjected, but Ariko wasn't paying attention. She was looking Xun dead in the eye, trying to comphrehend the full gravity of these words.

Xun gave another one of her shy smiles, eyes sparkling. "You, Ariko Ashita, are the Avatar."

"Grabbing a feather from a pile of junk makes me the Avatar?" Ari said, snatching back her hands in confusion. "I haven't done anything. I'm not even that great at Earthbending…" (Ariko was actually a fairly good Earthbender, but wasn't aggressive enough to follow through with determined blows. Her defensive abilities though were unmatched during the probending unit of physical education.)

"It wasn't the feather." Jiro sighed.

"You _knew?_ "

Jiro's words rang with a kind of guilty hollowness. "We knew when you were five. You firebent for us – not much, but it was something. And we had it on video, some kind of irrefutable proof."

"I can firebend?" She echoed, staring at her hands as though they'd been hiding a secret from her. She looked at her dad, suddenly realizing something that wasn't right. "When I was _five?_ Why didn't you tell me?"

Jiro slowly continued. "We… We talked to the White Lotus and made a deal with them. They wanted to start your training early, right away. But we didn't want to give you up. Being the Avatar is a big deal – and we might not get to see you again. So we made an agreement. Your training would start as soon as they felt they needed you, or when you were sixteen. That is, as long as we made sure you studied your Earthbending. Your mom and I spent years wondering when that day would come." He cast a skeptical look towards Mika and Xun. "…I guess I hadn't expected it to be a Tuesday."

Ariko couldn't quite comprehend the depth of the situation. Her parents had lied to her? About being the Avatar? She could barely speak. Mika stood up and clapped a big hand on her shoulder.

"It's a lot to take in, I get it."

"But it's your destiny." Xun added. "There's a storm on the horizon of Republic City. And while we've respected your parent's wishes for as long as we can, the White Lotus insists that it is time for your training to begin."

Jiro got up with a sigh, headed towards the spiral-corded phone in the kitchen. "I'm going to call my wife – she should be on her way any minute."

"Do you have anything you want to ask us, Ariko-" Mika started.

"It's just Ari."

"…Ari then."

Ari looked into her cup of tea, still untouched and growing cold by the second. She had a countless amount of questions, but nothing that could really be answered. _Why did my parents betray my destiny? Why me – I'm not that special? What problem in Republic City?_ But as she thought about it, the problems started disappearing little by little as a single, glistening statement took center stage. _I am the Avatar._ She had always wanted something more for her life, something beyond school and piano lessons and watching the neighbor's cat. Her heart began racing as a world of opportunities seemed visible. She was going to go to Republic City to train to save the world. She was the Avatar. _She was the Avatar._

"When-do-I-start?" She said hurriedly, a smile stretching her freckles.

"That's the response we wanted!" Laughed Mika in her peculiar, barking voice. "As soon as you can pack up and settle your affairs here, we're prepared to head out to Air Temple Island to begin your training."

The door creaked open and Hana darted in, enveloping Ariko in a tight hug. Jiro returned from his phone call, looking in with a heavy frown.

"I heard everything Ari-" Hana began, her voice a few wheezes away from tears. "Are you sure you're ready for this? We didn't mean to keep you from everything, but you were so small and we love you so much—"

It wasn't the time to be angry, Ari thought. Her parents had tried their best. She felt a twinge of guilt for thinking, even for one second, that they hadn't been fair. "..It's okay Mom. But I have to go – it's my calling." Hana kissed her on the forehead in response, eyes growing dewy.

"I'll help you pack… Avatar Ariko." She cooed, rubbing Ari's shoulder as the two made their way upstairs, hand in hand. "It's time."

Sweaters, tank tops, tights and jeans crammed themselves into a cyan suitcase. Ari even thought to pack a sequined miniskirt she'd purchased in a vain attempt to emulate Emi Starr – even though it scratched after just a couple seconds of wear. Hana and Ari both wrangled a furious Nova into her cage, with only minor hissing and growling, and only one pronounced scratch on Ari's arm. Just as the setting sun painted the sky fushia, Ariko, Xun and Mika left the door of the square house, with Ariko darting back in only once for a tight embrace with both parents. They walked to the port, nestled in a thatch of interlocked Mangroves, and as they boarded the Ferry Mika looked back, watching the island of home disappear more and more each second. Mika respected her silent reflection, and Xun wasn't much of a talker. Time ticked by slowly, as Ariko comprehended what life would be like as the Avatar.

Dangerous, bold, glamorous. Her heart thudded in anticipation.

She started to fall asleep at one point, head spinning with dreams about Avatars past, when she felt a nudge – or a painful jolt meant to be taken as a nudge – strike her in the ribcage. "Wake up, sunshine. We're here." Mika chuckled, and Ari blinked.

There weren't any stars in the sky, but before them a parade of lit buildings formed a night sky of its own. The sharp black silhouettes she'd seen on TV for years were suddenly before her – clearer than she'd ever seen them from behind a screen. She gasped, blinking away the sleep. Republic City!

The Avatar was home.


	3. Chapter 2

"Why didn't we take a flying bison? You have those, don't you?" Ari questioned Xun as they exited the boat onto Air Temple Island. Aang looked down at them, ever protective and pensive. Exploring the actual metropolitan area of Republic City could come later, but for now she was content to see it so close. Besides, perhaps living on Air Temple Island wouldn't be so bad. She grew up on an island, she knew them to be pleasant – and this one had purpose, unlike her sleepy mangrove nest. A few people dressed in the blue and white of White Lotus officials helped Ari with her bag, eyeing her with barely-concealed curiosity. Nova hissed from within her cage as she was lifted, feathers bristling.

Xun sighed. "We didn't want your neighborhood to be suspicious. Bison aren't very common out there. The world isn't ready for the Avatar's public debut."

"But you _do_ have a bison." Ari clarified, eyes going glittery at the idea.

"Yes. But you can meet her later." Xun sniffed, dismissing the conversation. "I'm going to go meet with a few of the officers here, and discuss some of your accomodations. –Mika, would you be happy to give Ariko a tour?"

Mika gave an exaggerated salute, clapping her hand onto Ari's shoulder. "She's in good hands, cap'n." And with that, she quickly swiveled Ariko around, grinning. "C'mon, let me give you the grand tour."

They started walking through the temple, full of thatched rooms, polished artifacts, and few of the comforts that Ari recognized from home. No pink couches, thick white phones, or plastic touches that had marked the house she grew up in. Walking around Air Temple Island was like walking back in time, with high ceilings, open spaces, and artwork depicting events in history that Ariko attempted to match to her limited understanding. They entered a dining room, with a long, slender table and pristine place settings, Mika waving her hand through the room like a television announcer.

"This is the Dining room, clearly." Mika had already proven herself to be quite the talker, rambling on and on about the history and day to day life in the temple. "Here we eat a few delicious meals, and then a lot of average-to-mediocre meals the rest of the year." Jokes continuously rocketed from her lips. She always paused a couple moments after showing a room, waiting for Ari's response. But words kept escaping her – she mostly nodded or 'oohed' and 'ahhed' as she failed to focus on Mika's long-winded stories. Ariko could care less about ivory-handled silverware; she wanted to know about what she was going to do, and who these people really were.

Kicking at the ground as Ari gave a polite nod at the dish set, Mika shrugged. "Onto the next room, I guess. You know, you're awful quiet for someone being shown their fantastic, highly luxurious living quarters."

"It's a little much to take in." Ari agreed with a sheepish smile. "…Can I ask you how you came to be a part of the White Lotus? This seems like a huge job to dedicate yourself to. And full of such ancient traditions…"

Mika rubbed her chin, thinking it over. "There hasn't really been a period of time where I _haven't_ served the White Lotus, come to think of it. You could say I was born into it? My parents were both friends of Avatar Korra, and she was like an aunt to me and my siblings." Mika gave a gentle, crooked grin. "I thought she was the most incredible woman, and she told me about her adventures – I grew up knowing how important the Avatar was, and knew it was the right thing to do to help protect the Avatar for future generations."

Ari nodded, thinking through her history. "So your parents were…"

"Are." Mika corrected. "Mom and Dad are still alive and well in Zaofu. My parents are Opal and Bolin; you might know Dad from a cheesy mover franchise?"

"Opal and Bolin." Ari murmured, recalling the stories of the Bending brothers and the Beifong legacy. She was suddenly struck by the importance of Mika's family, and her deep connection to the Avatar's legacy. Bolin was a famous lavabender who had served as a captain of the Republic City military for years – and Opal herself was famous for integrating the new Air Nation despite its mixed cultural heritage. They were revolutionaries, and dear friends of Korra. She suddenly felt numb.

"…I don't know about cheesy movers. But your family is famous."

Mika chuckled. "Famous schmamous. They're goofy old people, don't let their names make you think any differently. C'mon, let me show you the rest of the temple."

Ari followed, paying extra attention to the famed good humor and ceaseless energy that propelled Mika – and had propelled her parents before her. There wasn't much to be seen of Opal, a celebrated beauty and gentle spirit. But she could recall the historic stories of Bolin – loud and boisterous, and endlessly loyal. And now that loyalty was directed at _her._ Ariko felt another twinge of alarm, adjusting her sleeve as she rushed to keep up with Mika's large steps and steady pace.

Ariko couldn't sleep her first night in the temple. She couldn't tell if it was nerves, excitement, or anxiety about the prospect of failure that kept it up. Or the fact that her mattress was ancient and icy, as opposed to the cushy springs and soft hot-pink duvets of home. Dark circles weighed heavily under her eyes, but they still sparkled with enthusiasm. Today was the first day of training! She splashed her face with water, and wrestled her curly hair into a tiny cone-shaped ponytail. She picked out a mint green top and a baggy cream sweatshirt – the collar cut to where it hung off of one shoulder. With a pair of matching green spandex leggings, and cream legwarmers over her tennis-shoes, she felt confident and prepared for a new day of active, professional avatar training.

She hurried down towards the training grounds – an open-air courtyard with great stone pillars caging in the sparring zone. Xun and Mika were there, as well as a dozen guards whose names escaped Ari. They seemed to hover with anticipation – as did Mika – and even Xun seemed eager to begin, a faint smile cracking her frosty demeanor.

"Happy you could join us Ariko – But try to get here a bit earlier next time." Xun said crisply, and Ari blushed and mumbled an apology. Xun stopped her with a wave of her hand. "…It's fine. But don't let it happen again."

Ariko gave a nod, fixing her posture and trying not to seem flustered. She hadn't meant to be late _. Perhaps next time I could spend a few less moments trying to get "Avatar Ready"_ , she considered, trying to stand confidently in front of these two seasoned experts. "So are we working on Airbending today?" She said, clearing her throat, her voice growing more unsteady by the second. "…Since I uh, you know… Don't really have a lot of experience with actually… Avatar—ing."

Xun shook her head now, and Mika grinned beside her.

"Today, we're going to start your training with a review of Earthbending." Mika took a battle-stance, stretching out her shoulders playfully. "Mika will spar with you, so that we can take an inventory of your skills in your native element. We'll begin focusing on other elements once we're confident you have a mastery of Earthbending skills."

"Ready, cupcake?" Mika teased, taking inventory of Ari's girly outfit. "You take the first shot."

Ari blushed again, pulling up her own fists in a boxer's stance. Her head suddenly felt blank, as she tried to recall basic Earthbending from her memory. Yet all of the attacks practiced in gym seemed to evade her… Weakly she stomped the ground, summoning a stone to lob at Mika. Mika was prepared though, catching it and launching it right back. Ari yelped in response and darted away, provoking laughter from the seasoned Earthbender.

"…Alright, let's call that a practice throw. Don't be afraid to give us your all, Ari—You won't hurt me. Promise." Mika said apologetically, still chuckling throughout the statement. She bent another large boulder from the ground, swirling it around her before throwing it at Ariko. Ari bent a crude shield upwards from the ground, a loud crunch sounding as stone met-stone. Her heartbeat accelerated as her nerves began to take over. Mika cheered at this small victory. "Good! Keep going!"

Graying braid whipping, Mika twirled and drew three more stones from the ground, launching them at Ari – who caught one with her bending, hurling it towards another. She lept to the side to evade the third, which missed her by just a hair. Ari quickly followed up with a throw of her own, drawing a large triangular stone and pitching it towards Mika like a javelin. She had thought it to be a fierce accomplishment, but Mika caught it with ease, circling the rock around her before firing it back towards Ari with greater speed. Ari darted away, only to look over her shoulder to see the stone following her like a missile, with Mika practicing focused bending behind her.

 _Shield!_ Ariko thought, pulling up another wall of sandstone from below her, only to catch sight of another stone shooting towards her from the opposite direction. She pulled up another block, wedging herself between walls of brown earth. It was only a matter of seconds before her own creations betrayed her, Mika pulling her hands in towards her chest as the two rocks drew in closer, nearly squeezing in Ari. Ari jumped out of the wedging rocks, but tripped over one of her falling legwarmers. She glanced up from the dirt to see Mika's face, bending a large rock over her stone. All Ari could do is wince and ball up in response, bracing herself for the incoming pain.

But the stone fell with a thud behind them, Mika managing a small embarrassed smile. "…I don't know if that's really a way to end a fight, Ari." She said apologetically, before Xun thundered over.

She spoke rapidly and frenzied, in stark contrast to her earlier displays of remote calm. " _That's_ your best display of Earthbending? You've only had one trained element thus far, while many avatars before you had a grip on all four at your age." She scolded, wringing her hands. "We expected you to be a master of Earthbending by your age. Avatar Aang was a master of Airbending at twelve."

"…I thought I defended myself." Ari said weakly, pulling up the legwarmer that had gathered around her left foot.

"You did." Mika offered, but Xun shook her head.

"You demonstrated some shielding, and basic earthbending. But Mika was fighting more slowly than any real enemy you'll ever face… She was going easy on you." Xun sniffed dismissively, running a hand through her streak of hair. "…I don't know if we can start with other elements… Not if we need to run the basics again."

"C'mon, she's nervous Xun." Mika said, patting her shoulder. "Let's run another couple sparring matches, okay? Sometimes you gotta shake it out a little bit. It's her first day of training – what did you really expect?"

Xun's expression levelled, eyebrows still creased in agitation. She folded her arms. "I expected her family to uphold their end of our agreement. Ari should have been training in Earthbending for a long time." She extended a thin arm, which surprised Ariko with its strength. The lavender tattoos wound around it like a snake.

"Fine. Try again Ariko."

She nodded vigorously, resuming her fighting stance. Two more rounds and Ariko was swiftly defeated both times. It was difficult for Ari not to notice Mika's attempts at helping Ari to appear successful, but each time Ari proved herself to be weak, unprepared, and frankly frightened. Xun seemed to shake with frustration, and some deeper emotions. She paced near the end of the last fight, jaw clenched. Ariko tumbled to the ground, taking a small blow of rubble to the chest. Her hair had long fallen out of its conical ponytail, and instead hung around her face like a dusty cloud. The young avatar pushed herself off the ground, legs trembling underneath her from all of the exertion.

"One more match!" She begged, her voice going hoarse. Mika shook her head with a kind of forlorn, kindly resign. Xun only quaked in irritation.

"Another match isn't going to change the fact that you're not ready to fight!" She shouted, groaning. The guards that had been watching had left during the last match – but now a few poked their helmeted heads back in to investigate the raised volume. One guilty look from Mika sent them back into the hallway, leaving the open space empty excluding the three women and piles of strewn rocks from the sparring.

Ari looked at the ground, rubbing an aching shoulder. Her nice workout clothes had already ripped in several places, further evidence of her failure. "I'm sorry… I… I haven't known. I never knew I was the avatar, I just always thought I was an average Earthbender."

Xun rubbed her temple, seething. "That's the problem Ariko. You ARE an average Earthbender. What we need – what Republic City, no… What the WORLD needs – is the Avatar. Korra was bending all four elements at the age of _four_ , and yet what Mika and I have to do is start from scratch when danger is already _here_." She scoffed, storming away in a billow of orange and burgundy fabric.

"Give me a chance!" Ariko pleaded, running after her and grabbing onto a trailing piece of her tunic. "I may not seem like much, I might not even _be_ much… But I swear I'm going to be the best Avatar I can be! I'll spend every moment learning, promise!"

Xun yanked her tunic back, and Mika darted to join them, standing between the two. Her voice was calm, but somewhat gloomy. "Ariko, it's been a rough start. Let's break for the day, alright? Xun and I need to talk for a bit."

Ariko nodded, and turned on her heel, slowly slumping towards her room. She felt her eyes begin to water with each and every step, and by the time she reached her bedroom door, her body was shaking and her face had grown red and swollen with tears. Nova, who had long been out of her cage, responded with a concerned trill, fluttering towards Ari's shoulder. She butted her furry head against Ariko's damp cheek, feathers ruffling and furry tail whipping against Ari's back.

"Thanks Nova." She murmured weakly, stroking the Catowl before slumping on her bed. Nova accompanied her, perching by her side on the rough, starchy blanket. It had only been one day. And she already felt ready to give up. The world she left behind suddenly felt full of unknown comforts – her own bed, her kind, silly parents, and the episode of Heartbenders she was missing that night. All because she had taken her old life for granted due to some spiritual calling.

Ariko didn't even know if the spirits wanted to talk to her. She wouldn't.

Nova fluttered to a resting position beside her, purring, as Ari clicked on her Satoman disc player. The headphones engulfed her, drowning her sorrows in pop music, as Ari sat in despair knowing there were nothing but further days of disastrous Avatar training ahead.

Days ticked by with no better results. Each time Ari thought she was getting better, Mika would reveal a new Earthbending trick, rendering Ariko's small successes virtually useless in the grand scheme of fighting. Ariko hated the sparring matches. She preferred the one-on-one Earthbending sessions with Mika, who explained everything so much more clearly than Ari's virtually nonexistent fighting instincts. Mika was clearly Ari's favorite teacher – she constantly doled out more praise than criticism. Ariko had tried to keep track of Xun's displays of scorn. She had quickly lost count.

"You're doing so much better!" Mika grinned, showing Ari another firm Earthbending stance, her feet planted firmly in the ground. "I know it may seem like a struggle, but you're a natural. It won't be too much longer until you're teaching me some tricks of your own."

"Thanks Mika." All of Ariko's replies anymore came out halfheartedly. And Mika noticed. She crouched down and engulfed Ari in a bear hug – an easy feat considering that Ari was nearly half her size.

The tone of voice Mika spoke in made Ari homesick; Mika had a tone full of maternal love that she hadn't heard in what felt like forever. It had only been a few days, but it had already felt like a lifetime. Ari had always been considered the optimist of her family, but continuous failure was already beating her down. If it weren't for the Satoman disc player – or the Heartbenders T-Shirt she wore to bed in stark contrast to the practical training clothes she'd gotten supplied from the temple – Ari could hardly recognize herself. Ari returned Mika's hug with a sniff.

"Why is everything so awful?" She muttered, scrunching her brow. "Mika, I don't think I'm cut out to be the Avatar – I can't even Earthbend right, Xun hates me-"

"Xun's a big softie." Mika corrected. "Her bison's name is Sprinkles. She's just hard on you because she's a descendant of Avatar Aang. She feels it's her 'spiritual duty.'"

"-Spiritual duty or not, I still can't do anything." Ariko stammered, wiping her face on her sleeve. "You guys haven't even told me what dangers are facing Republic City – I can't even watch TV! – I'm cut off and useless."

Mika sighed, looking down. "We can't tell you a lot of things because they're still in the dark. I promise we'll talk to you about Avatar business, but right now your biggest duty is just to train hard. It's rough, yeah, but we'll be there for you!" She laughed. "It's not easy, I know. Korra told me lots about how hard being the Avatar was. But she didn't give up, and she was an incredible lady… Don't ever listen to what some of the news stations'll tell you about her…" Mika pulled Ariko back up to her feet. "You'll be a great lady one day too. I know it."

"Thanks." Ariko replied quietly, not entirely reassured. Korra may have felt unsure of herself, but she could firebend at age four, according to Xun.

"Gotta run – _Airhead's_ got some more news from family in the Air Nation settlements. Looks like you've got the evening to mope around with those headphones of yours – you deserve to relax!" Mika said, using her favorite teasing nickname for Xun. Ari mustered a passable smile, waving goodbye as Mika plodded down the long hallways leading through the temple.

An evening to herself to wander around on an island with even less to do than her old home. It all seemed so useless. Ari had expected her life to be more glamourous since becoming the Avatar. She hadn't even seen Republic City yet… It suddenly clicked. A twinge of excitement. Ari had an entire evening to herself. Mika and Xun would be busy. Republic City was closer than it had ever been growing up. And Ariko was the Avatar… If anyone had the authority to visit Republic City, it should be her. She had taken to watching the lights of Republic City at night from her room, imagining that Korra before her had done the same. The thought alone of this future journey was enough to revive Ari's spirit.

She was going to visit Republic City. She was going to do something to enjoy herself. Xun and Mika didn't have to know. Ariko could be the Avatar, if she had something to appreciate; she needed to know more about the world that so desperately deserved saving. A brief breath of the life she missed back home – a reminder that all this work would be worth it in the end.

Immediately Ariko changed – swapping training clothes for her favorite olive green pants with the thick, cinching belt, and a cream blouse with an emerald sash at her neck tied into a stylish side bow. It felt like her, more than some brainwashed fighting drone. Patting Nova goodbye – and reassuring her that she'd be back in the morning – Ari sped towards the stables, readying herself to meet her first flying bison. Sprinkles was nothing like she had expected.

Ariko had been told that flying bison were the first Airbenders, and were large, gentle creatures. But she hadn't expected the multilegged behemoth that awaited her, staring at her with large, milky eyes. Sprinkles' breath was hot, a huge gray-brown arrow streaking down its back. Ari thought about putting a saddle on the creature, who looked at her with docile confusion. But the saddles to fit a bison were huge, and overwhelming with endless straps and knobs. One bison alone could hold multiple people – and Ari didn't need that. She was one girl desperate for a ride. The Avatar should have the capabilities to ride bareback, right?

She whispered to the bison, smiling brightly. "Easy Sprinkles… It's Ariko. I promise we'll be friends. I just need to borrow you from Xun – just for a little while."

Sprinkles was much quieter than Ariko had expected a flying bison to be. Perhaps that was because she had never met one – and assumed from their fighting heritage that they'd show some kind of pride. Sprinkles didn't display that though. She was gentle and obedient, eyeing Ari with more interest than fear or contempt. She let out a few small grunts as Ariko led her outside, unlocking the gates and sneaking out of the grounds. The courtyard had been clear of guards for now – they typically swarmed wherever Xun and Mika were when there was news to be reported.

In the open expanse in front of the stables, Ari heaved herself onto Sprinkles' back, grinning widely.

"Time for my first real adventure as the Avatar. I'll be back tomorrow. It'll be okay." She tittered, half to Sprinkles and half to herself. Not only was she going to see Republic City, but she was going to fly there for the first time. She clung tightly to the bison, who sniffed in response, green eyes aimed at the skies above her.

Her voice was a squeal of excitement, preparing for liftoff. "…Okay Sprinkles. Yip yip?"


	4. Chapter 3

All of her miserable week of training was worth it, just for the first taste of flight. At first it was uncomfortable, Ari clinging for dear life, fists full of white-gray fur as the world grew smaller and smaller beneath her. The muscles of the bison rippled underneath her, and she kept adjusting to try and find a comfortable way to ride without falling to her death. Eventually though she settled on a position, arms wrapped around Sprinkles' neck, legs pressed against her sides as Sprinkles wove through the air. Once her fear wore off, flight was something magical. Ariko's body felt weightless, and the sky around her was more open than she had ever seen it. She felt engulfed in the sea of blue.

"Down?" Ari shouted, straining for her voice to be heard over the roar of moving air around her. Even though her voice was just a muffled sound, Sprinkles seemed to understand, beginning her descent. Ariko could see steel-colored skyscrapers grow larger and larger, jutting out of the ground.

The descent was slow at first, but Ari could feel the bison picking up speed. "Woah girl-" She shouted, but it was too late. The pair grew increasingly vertical, plunging rapidly from the sky. Ari gripped the bison tighter, air pushing against her face. She couldn't help but scream, twirling out of control as they plunged towards the ground.

"STOP!"

Sprinkles caught this command, and just moments before they were to crunch onto hard ground covered in stubbly, city grass, they stopped – Ariko spilling off of Sprinkles in a clumsy heap as Sprinkles spun to a halt before gently touching down on the ground underneath them. They had landed. Ariko tried to compose her breathing, but had a hard time doing so; her gasps alternated between crying and laughing at the inept landing. "If—Only—Xun could—See – Me." She choked, wiping a few stray tears from her face as she gave Sprinkles a few grateful pats. "G-Good—girl."

Ari dusted herself off, finally calming down, and pausing to take in their surroundings. They had landed just outside the Spirit District, home of the Spirit Portal opened after the Fall of Kuvira; it was still and quiet, with only a few stray spirits snooping, but quickly vanishing from the scene. At the very least Sprinkles had decided to crash in the most hidden part of the city – even years later few people strayed to this neighborhood, leaving it instead to be claimed by spirits. Ari scratched Sprinkles behind one of her massive ears, spying in the distance the spot where Spirit Vines ended, and cement walkways began.

"I'll be back later, Sprinkles. Stay put, it's just an adventure for the day." She whispered, before starting in the direction of the true city she'd come to know.

It was easy to not think of the buildings as massive when they were only a blip on the horizon. But as Ari took her first few steps in the true city, she was overcome by their size. They towered over her, limiting the sky to a blue patch only directly overhead. She couldn't help but gawp, a few passers-by bumping into her and exchanging frustrated groans.

"Ugh. Tourists." Mumbled one, shouldering past Ari with utter indifference.

Ari took offense. "Hey!" She shouted behind her, but the man was already gone, trickling into the swarm of people weaving to-and-fro through the city streets. Ariko's feet kept taking her slowly deeper into the city, pausing every so often to eye a Technicolor light or statue that had only been visible on her TV screen. The people were rude, passing by in hurried masses – but Ari was also a nuisance that had placed herself in the way to marvel at this high-tech metropolis. She could get by it though, as she wound her way to the heart of the city.

Winding her way to Republic Square, she bumped into three different people exiting the Hypertrain tunnels, each grunting or complaining in response. Ariko couldn't help but notice how everyone was dressed in corporate steels and black – making her vibrant green apparel stand out like a sore thumb. But that was alright! Ahead she could make out a flock of other rainbow-clad people huddled beneath a giant TV screen, waving and holding handmade signs in front of a snappily-dressed reporter. _A Day in Republic City Live_! Just like on TV. Ariko couldn't stop her feelings of being star-struck, hovering with a stupid smile as three more commuters bounced into her side.

She sped over, waving wildly to the cameraman as he passed by. Ariko caught a glimpse of her smile on the big screen, beaming with joy. Ariko continued to flutter through Republic Square, trying to spot celebrities and evade people hawking "I HEART RC" shirts. She couldn't help but apologize for her lack of money, fumbling away with an embarrassed shrug. The day ticked by quickly as Ari continued to weave through city streets, her feet growing tired and her stomach protesting – but her head full of sights that she wouldn't soon forget. With slower steps from her exhausted legs, Ariko dismissed any displays of distain from the people of Republic City – focusing on the big buildings, flashing lights, and the dreams fulfilled of seeing the place where her TV said dreams happened.

The Spirit District grew in the distance – it was time to return before Mika or Xun noticed. And she could do with a good night's sleep and a hearty dinner.

"Sprinkles, I'm back!" She called, feeling the pavement switch to soft grass underfoot. "You there?" It was around here where they landed, if she could remember correctly – the twisted vines engulfing a window appeared to be the ones she recognized from earlier. She scanned her memory of the vacant streets, looking around for any sign of the massive bison. Which surely couldn't have been that hard to find… "-Sprinkles?"

"Who are you calling Sprinkles?" Croaked a deep voice, which sounded charred and gritty. A spirit with the face of a frog stepped forward, with a creature similar to a charred, horned fox by its side. "You lost, child?"

Ari blushed, rubbing the back of her neck, stomach growling at the inopportune moment. "Uh, well… No. I know I'm in the Spirit District."

The frog-being glared. "Precisely. You don't appear to be a spirit, do you?"

This caught Ariko off guard. "Uh, no- I mean, I'm not a spirit. But I-"

He rubbed his webbed, swamp-colored palms together, cocking his head. "You're in the wrong territory, girl. I suggest you pay penance for this intrusion."

Ariko shivered, smiling and giving a shrug. She had always had the impression that street thugs were the ones to be scared of – not Spirits. "I don't have any money, sir. But I'll be out of your way I promise-"

"No money?" He laughed, albeit Ariko couldn't sense any true humor in the situation. "Are you so sure…" The fox creature lunged forward, and Ari screamed, turning around and running as fast as she could. The two spirits were quickly upon her, grabbing her arms and shouting incomphrehensibly. Ariko squinted, struggling against them.

"Please, I don't have any money – Let me go!"

"Now why would we do that?" The fox hissed, rifling a claw through her pockets.

A foreign female voice called out from behind Ari. "Let her go Spirits – she's harmless!" The two beings turned, and there was suddenly a blast of heat that shot past Ariko, causing her captors to release her. They rushed towards her savior, but her shape was hidden by blasts of firebending that lit up the Spirit streets in the setting sun. Grasping at a burnt paw, the fox creature quickly darted off, shouting behind it. Hot on its tangled burnt orange fur, the frog followed – sending a scornful look back towards the firebender.

"You okay?" Shouted the girl, who hurried towards her. Ariko had expected to see an adult – perhaps even Republic City police. But instead her hero for the evening was a Firebender around her age, with copper-colored eyes and bleached hair tied in a haphazard ponytail. (She could see the firebender's dark roots – jet black like her eyebrows. Ariko was reminded quickly of her parent's outrageous laughter when she asked if she could dye her own hair.) The firebender was tall and lanky, with knobby joints and a pointed face. Eyeliner was smeared around her eyes, in contrast to Ari's own blank face. The Firebender wore berry-toned lip-gloss, applied haphazardly around her sharp smile.

"I'm fine. Thank you so much. I really don't have any money and I honestly don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come by-" Ari panted, shaking the girl's hand. She dressed like a teen road warrior, decked in a leather jacket, magenta miniskirt and tall boots. Even though the girl couldn't have been that much older, she seemed like she had so much more life experience – which pained Ari to admit that she probably did.

The firebender crossed her arms and tilted her hips, blowing out a "finger gun" with a fushia smirk. "It was nothing. You're not from around these parts, are you?"

Ariko smiled sheepishly. "It's that obvious, isn't it?"

She flicked her jagged bangs out of her face, turning to walk away with a laugh. "Not at all, Fluffy… Not at all."

"Wait!" Ariko sped to catch up with her. "Do you live around here? Have you seen a flying bison – you know, large, big arrow down the head, multiple legs…"

"A flying bison?" She asked incredulously. "I can't say I've ever seen a bison in Republic City. Maybe overhead, but they typically stick to the Air Nation basegrounds. Why would you be looking for one here? You don't look like an airbender, Fluffy." Her eyes immediately went to Ari's tangled hair, causing Ari to shrink back in embarrassment.

"…Well, it's a long story." She admitted, extending her palm again for a proper introduction. "My name is Ariko."

The girl reluctantly shook, a far different handshake than Ari's earlier rapid grip of relief. Her handshake was sturdy, with a bit of residual warmth clinging to her gloves from the Firebending. "Orchidae. But you can just call me Dae." Interrupting their conversation was Ari's stomach, which gurgled as an inappropriate reminder. Ari frowned, looking at the ground, but Dae could only smile and drag Ari behind her, laughing.

"…You've had a rough day, haven't you? C'mon. My mom'd kill me if she knew I met someone hungry and didn't offer them a meal. My family's restaurant is just around the corner, right outside the Spirit District. I'll give your long story a listen over some food, deal?"

"Deal." Ari said with relief, glancing back once at the Spirit-claimed borough with a nervous sigh.

"Who's your friend?" Dae's mom – or at least Ari had guessed it was Dae's mom, based on the woman's enthusiasm and matching smudgy eye makeup – chirped as they entered the café, the door emitting a small electric 'ding' as they stepped inside. She was shaped like a snowman – wide hips and round curves – but with a face full of similar defined features and a dark bun the color of Dae's roots. Her apron, much like the rest of the small restaurant, was colored brick red. As they walked in she delivered a few plates full of noodles to customers, before wiping her hands on her skirt to greet the two girls.

Dae rolled her eyes. "Ariko. From school, Mom. Can we have something to eat?" Ari was struck by Dae's capability to lie – she didn't look guilty in the slightest. If anything, Dae looked bored.

"Pleasure to meet you Ariko." Dae's mom said with a warm smile. "You girls sit tight, we'll get you some noodles. You haven't tried noodles until you've tried my husband's – they're to die for." She bustled into the kitchen, leaving them alone at a red-leather lined booth. It squeaked under Ari's seat, the noise rubbery and plastic. Few of the other customers paid them any attention, instead turning their focus onto their meals or in one case, an unfolded newspaper.

"Your mom seems really nice." Chimed Ari. "You own this restaurant?"

Dae shrugged. "I guess she is. And yeah, my parents own it. Dad always wanted to prove you could do more with Firebending than just fighting and making people angry. Flame roasted skewers, hand-boiled noodles – our café's pretty well known around here, I guess?"

Ari recalled the history of the Fire Nation. The Hundred Year War had been one of the most critical times of devastation known to history – but the Earth Kingdom, back in its pre-Republic days – hadn't been any better. Most of the Fire Nation had remained separate though – aside from a few immigrants to the Republic, like Dae and her family. For the most part, they had remained separate and impenetrable. Secretive and isolated as they were, Ariko couldn't recall any recent occasion when Firebenders had caused major trouble. She held her tongue, suddenly distracted by the smell of sautéed meat and warm broth.

"Here you two go." Dae's mom chimed, placing the two bowls in front of them. The broth was clear with a few vibrant vegetables floating inside. She could see roasted meat of some kind nested in the noodles. The meal smelled warm and satisfying – like home. After setting down the plates, she crossed her arms, tilting her hips in a movement Ariko immediately recognized from Dae. "Enjoy girls… And Orchidae, I'm proud of you! You hardly ever bring friends by the shop."

Dae had already began slurping up a noodle, raising her dark eyebrows. After a gulp, she looked at Ariko, who had taken her own first bites. "Yeah, I know. But Ariko's special." Her mother patted her on the shoulder with a smile before tending to other customers, with Ari taking another gulp of food.

 _If only she knew how special._ She thought bitterly, suddenly worried about returning back to the temple. She was going to get murdered by her teachers.

They passed the meal in mostly silence. Ariko could only finish half the bowl before her worries started getting to her. While Dae polished off the last bits of broth, Ari stirred her noodles with a pensive frown, occasionally looking towards the window where night had already fallen. The idea of wandering out there alone was too much to bear. Besides, Dae's family were kind – and the idea of tearing herself away from warm food and freedom from Avatar training was torturous. Dae noticed, slurping up a final noodle.

She wiped her mouth on a paper napkin, tilting her head. "Looks like you've got a lot on your mind. Care to share any bit of this so-called long story?"

"It's not that long of a story… I ran away from home."

Dae clapped, laughing. "Knew it! The city always turns up runaways who have no idea how to keep themselves safe in the city." Ari felt her face go hot. She didn't want to be one of many runaways in Dae's mind. Besides – she could keep herself safe… She thought. If the Avatar couldn't protect herself, who could?

"…It's not exactly like that." She argued, fingering the pair of chopsticks at their table. "I was sent to live with my… Aunts. Who don't believe in fun, and think I'm a failure." Ari could never be called a good liar, but the emotion was enough to make her point clear. She sighed, getting up from the booth and slumping towards the door. "If they find out I came to the city, they'll _literally_ murder me." She blinked away some tears. "I'm _totally_ screwed."

Dae ran over and spun Ari around, looking her square in the eyes with a kindly smile that seemed out of place given her harsh appearance. "…I know I said that the city always turns up runaways from the 'burbs, but I didn't mean that as a bad thing. If you knew how many times I've ran away from this dump-"

"-But your mom seems great-" Ari interjected, frowning.

"-That's besides the point." Dae scoffed. "It's hard out there for everyone. But I'm sure your Aunts, or whoever you're ac _tually_ talking about will forgive you. If they didn't, run off again. At the very least there's a spot for you on my couch."

"Thanks." Ari mumbled, catching Dae off guard with a big hug. "I probably oughta go… My… Ride. I need to find it."

Dae squinted outside. "I wouldn't trust a fully grown man to wander around there by himself. Let alone a small girl who carries herself through the city like a baby deer. It doesn't even look like you've got any bending to help out…" Dae motioned towards a door near the back of the restaurant, pulling Ariko over. "Come stay upstairs in our apartment. My parents won't care. I'm sure your Aunts would rather you come back alive a day late than mauled by Spirits or Gangsters the same night."

"Thanks Dae." Ari said again, obediently following her up the thin staircase.

The living room looked as though Ariko's entire house was crammed into her bedroom. The couch and TV were immediately at the top of the staircase. Walls were entirely covered with bookshelves and family photos, and the kitchenette jutted into the living room. Ari could make out a couple doors leading to bedrooms and a bathroom, but she couldn't help but marvel at how small everything was in a city home. She peered into a family photo, where Dae and her mother peered out with identical smiles, and a tall, gangly man with a trim gray mustache – presumably Dae's father – smirked behind them. It was odd seeing Dae without bleached hair in the photos. The blonde hair seemed more appropriate, even for the short amount of time that Ariko knew her.

"Ugh, I hate that picture." Dae groaned, disappearing into one of the small rooms and retrieving a pile of blankets, an oversized tee shirt, and hot pink shorts. "Here, I brought some blankets and some clothes for you to change into."

Ari took the shirt, nodding in gratitude, before her eyes lit up. The fabric was a bit more battered and worn than her own, but she'd recognize Fae and Tashi's face anywhere. "You have a Heartbenders shirt just like mine!" Her eyes immediately went wide as she realized she had a wealth of information. Words flew out of her mouth quickly, almost incomphrehensibly. "Whathappensinthelatestepisode?! I haven't been able to watch since my aunts and the cliffhanger was too much and ugh—"

"Easy Fluffy, you'll hurt yourself." Dae chuckled. "Want to watch it? If you're staying the night, you might as well enjoy yourself."

Ariko's eyes were starry, and wordlessly she nodded in enthusiastic agreement. After Dae had wiped off most of her makeup – save for a few dark smudges that wouldn't budge from underneath her eyes – she seemed more approachable, even genuine. Dae had changed into a baggy t-shirt with the Spiderwolves pro-bending logo and a pair of battered gray sweatpants. She brought over some popcorn for them to munch on while she slouched beside Ari's designated couch. Aside from the brief interruption where her parents snuck through the room, the night passed with back episodes of Heartbenders, gossip about these fictional characters, and the closest thing to her normal life that Ari had felt since she had discovered her role as Avatar.

Ari fell asleep in the middle of a conversation about the ridiculousness of five pairs of evil twins in the same universe, thinking that she was a lucky girl. She might be in hot water when she got back, but she was lucky to be saved – and perhaps lucky to call Dae her first friend in Republic City.

"Fluffy, wake up. We're going to go explore Republic City before you've gotta hit the road." Called Dae from the staircase, as Ari pushed herself up from her spot on the couch with bleary-sleep heavy eyes. She was still wearing the crumpled Heartbenders shirt, but Dae was put together – bangs hairsprayed high, and wiry frame decked in a miniskirt patterned like some unknown animal.

Ari yawned, trying to recall the events that had brought her to this foreign couch. "…But it's early?" She was suddenly hit with the urgency of her return to Air Temple Island. She lept out of the couch, grabbing her clothes and sealing herself into the bathroom. "—Besides, I have to go! I'm dead, I swear… They're going to call upon spirits to revive me, if only so they can kill me again Dae- I'm _that_ dead." She shouted through the door as she pulled her blouse over her head.

"You're already going to get in trouble, dude. Might as well make the most of it before you've gotta face the consequences." Dae sighed. "Besides, you say that you can't visit the City much when you're with your Aunts – And you probably wasted your day yesterday like a tourist. You gotta let a true Republic City native show you around. I'd be _embarrassed_ if what you saw yesterday was your lasting impression of this place."

"But what I saw was amazing." She said weakly, having imagined her day earlier as perfect. Dae seemed to know what she was doing… And was exceptionally persuasive. With few further arguments, Ariko finished getting dressed and wrangling her hair into submission, and followed Dae out the door, blinking in the sunlight that glinted off of the silver buildings around them.

"Where are you going, aren't we taking the Hypertrain?"

Dae rolled her eyes, rounding the corner through a twisting pathway of empty streets. "The Hypertrain costs money, and it's no way to see the city. You don't see anything from a tunnel underground."

"Oh."

"This way. Take a note of those railings to your left – I broke my arm trying to board down one once."

They wound through streets that were different than those Ari saw yesterday. Less busy, more smiles and greetings – albeit they were all aimed at Dae. These streets didn't have flashing lights, and much of the pavement was broken in places – but yet it felt more personal and intimate. Especially since Dae had a story to go with every street corner. After what seemed like an eternity of walking, Ariko couldn't help but feel overwhelmed though with all of Dae's favorite coffeeshops, fruit stands, or eccentric street buskers. "-Dae, this is all wonderful, but I gotta go-"

"Fine." Dae said carelessly, sticking her hands in the pocket of her leather jacket. "Guess you'll miss the best part, we're nearly there."

Ari frowned. "Nearly?"

And with a metallic clang, Dae knocked down a ladder from the fire escape to her right, and began to scurry up its rusted rungs. "Nearly. Now c'mon – and don't tell me you're afraid of heights."

Ari gave a relieved smile, excited by the prospect of their climb. They trekked up many flights of ladder – Ari growing winded near the end – but the city tops rose into view. Ariko could see beyond this aging neighborhood to the steel and flash she recognized from her previous sightseeing, but in the morning light they were something to behold. They stopped at the top of the building, and Ari ran to its edge – gasping at the sight of early sunlight capping over the tops of the Republic City Skyline.

"It's beautiful!"

"It's nothing." Dae responded, turning and grabbing a long plank. "Just wait 'til you see the view from over there." She motioned with her head towards the building to the left of theirs, huffing as she dragged the plank to the narrow alley gap that separated their buildings. The Future Industries building, one of the tallest in the city – towering over theirs, with a small exposed deck ledge closed off only by a thin, barred pipe railing. The plank clanked to the ground, stretching across the break as a makeshift bridge and resting between the bars on the other side. " _This_ is the part where I hope you're not afraid of heights."

She tested her own weight on the plank, stepping foot over foot across the gap, before hopping over the rail at the other side. She gave a small gymnast's bow. "Your turn, Fluff!"

Ari swallowed and followed behind, taking smaller, careful steps. "Isn't the Future Industries building forbidden for guests?"

"I thought you ran away from home, Ari – When did you suddenly start caring about rules?"

"When the rules are necessary to save my skin." She said, heaving herself over the bar with a little less grace than her thinner companion.

Dae smirked. "Good job. I've been coming up here for years – now just to get to the elevator so you can see the real top of the city." She gave Ariko a high-five, heading for one of the entry doors on the deck, when suddenly the two girls heard unfamiliar voices. Unfamiliar uniformed voices, that is. Ariko whipped her head around, gasping in surprise.

"Guards! We gotta get outta here!" Dae clapped her hand over Ari's mouth, shushing her and whispering in her ear.

"Be quiet- If they haven't heard us—"

"Who's there?" Shouted the first guard, bending a steel rod out from one of his uniformed wristlets.

Dae lightly smacked the back of Ari's head, rolling her eyes in agitation. "Great. _Now_ we gotta get outta here. C'mon!" She grabbed Ari's arm, and they made a beeline for the doors, slamming them behind them and hearing the stomping and shouts of the Future Industries guards behind them. There were shouts of alarm as the two girls sped through the hallway, dashing through the white-and-silver technology metropolis. Giant screens, and processors the sizes of walls hummed, and white-coated technicians pushed out of their way. As they reached the hallway, more guards – each emblazoned with the crimson and gold of the famous company – shouted.

"Stop! Access to development floors are restricted."

Dae popped her neck, sighing. "People always say that like I don't know that!" She summed a brief fire, lobbing it – moreso as a threat than an actual attack. She grabbed Ari by the shoulders, running at one of the hallway walls and using firebending to propel them up its face – just enough to bounce up and away from the pair of guards directly in front of them.

Stumbling from her grip, Ariko panicked and bent steel from the walls behind them, tangling the guard's path. She then spun quickly around, hurrying to catch up with Dae who had already sped halfway down the hall. "You can Earthbend?" Dae huffed with a smile, opening the door to the staircase and speeding down as many flights as she could.

"I can when I panic, I guess." Ari laughed, wheezing as they continued towards the ground floor.

The bottom floors of Future Industries were open to the public. Here, the history of the company and its many innovations were displayed in interactive displays, and attractive guides dressed in crimson suits explained some of the latest developments that would soon be free to the public. Ari and Dae shoved a crowd on a tour, who responded with shouts, as they scurried towards the front doors, a pair of guards shortly behind, Earthbending steel cords in an attempt to ensnare the girl's limbs. Each time they got close though, Ari managed to misdirect the cords long enough to manage an escape, and they swung the doors behind them. Busy city street was directly ahead.

"Awesome, now we just gotta get far enough to lose 'em!" Dae shouted, panting as she sped in front of a pair of cars, attempting to ignore the shouts from more figures leaving the Future Industries building. Ariko nodded, crossing just behind her, when she caught a glimpse of the intersection behind them.

In the honking, blaring traffic caused by the girl's escape, a car was speeding rapidly towards a pedestrian – a young man with glasses and a puffed vest. In a split second, Ariko hesitated, swallowing and shooting a gust of air in his direction.

The car, with a loud honk, continued through the intersection, but the boy tumbled out of the way, glasses clattering to the sidewalk. Two bending victories in one escape. Ariko couldn't hide her excited smile, turning over her shoulder to spot Dae. "Dae! Dae I-"

"-Am going to Republic City Juvenile Detainment." Came the low bark of a guard behind her, as a pair of platinum cuffs clinked around her wrists. Dae was just ahead, facing the same treatment – but with her eyes wide, darting between the boy and Ari, who was more than a little flustered.

The officer led them to his Satomobile, rambling a list of rights and buckling them quickly into the back. Ari spoke in a slow whisper, taking note of their new, cramped surroundings.

"Dae… I'm so sorry – I just saw the boy and I know you wanted to go but I had to—"

Dae responded in a tense whisper, the whites of her eyes brighter than ever as examined Ariko in alarm. "—Don't apologize for that. Apologize for not telling me you're the Avatar, dummy!"

"Oh. That." Ari pushed herself back in her seat and examined the roof of the Satomobile with one long exhale.


	5. Chapter 4

Dae waited until they were safely behind bars in the detainment center to interrogate Ariko. During the entire car ride and perpetrator registration it was clear that she was squirming in her seat, looking over Ari with a mix of frustration and wonder. Finally, it was just the two of them in an empty cell, plastic chairs resting in the corner. It was just temporary – for trespassing, the two girls couldn't be held long. And Dae had already made her phone call to her family; it was only a matter of time before she was bailed out. Ariko wasn't so sure of when she'd have someone rescue her. Her parents were hours away, and neither Mika nor Xun had exactly been informed of her adventures in the city.

Ari messed with a piece of her hair, having a hard time looking Dae in the eye.

"When were you going to tell me about being the Avatar?!" She said in a low hiss, pacing the width of the cell. "I didn't even think you could bend!"

Ari mumbled towards the dirt. "I don't know. No one knows yet except my teachers. They told me not to tell anyone – I wasn't supposed to be announced until I'm done with training." She looked up meekly from the floor, biting her lip. "You don't think anyone else noticed the airbending, right?"

Dae sighed and gave a small shrug. "Well, the authorities haven't said anything yet… So you might be in luck."

"Good."

The girls waited in a heavy silence for a few moment, peppered occasionally by Dae's questions.

"How long have you known you're the Avatar?"

"Only about a week. The Airbending in the street is actually the first Airbending I've ever performed…"

"So your Aunts are actually your… teachers?"

"…Yeah. An Earthbender and an Airbender. Respectively awesome and horrible."

"Ah." Dae paused, looking Ariko over one last time. "You know, you were freaking out about Heartbenders yesterday, talking about celebrities… You do realize that you're actually the biggest celebrity besides maybe the President, right?"

Ari wrapped her arms around her legs. "I'm starting to get the feeling that that's going to be a bad thing."

"Orchidae Hioki, your parents are here." Called out one of the Republic City police officers, a stocky man with an impressive mustache. Dae ran over to Ariko, fishing out a receipt from her pocket, as well as a stick of eyeliner. Using the eyeliner, she quickly scribbled something down, leaving it in Ari's palm.

"I've gotta go – that's me, obviously – but your secret's safe with me. There's my phone number; give me a call if you ever need someone in the City." She whispered, before leaving the cell. Her blonde ponytail swished behind her. Ari examined the number – written in sharp, jagged handwriting – and folded it in her pocket, waiting alone for someone to come to her aid.

She was bored out of her mind. Clearly not much went on in an empty cell. But on the other hand she came to appreciate the peace; after her adventures in the city and a long week of training, Ariko finally had the chance to catch up on sleep. Thankfully, sleep provided a perfect escape from the worries that had gathered in her mind. She didn't need to think about how furious her teachers would be, how disappointed her parents would be, and her early proof that she was going to be one of the worst Avatars as of yet. After a brief dreamless sleep, Ariko heard a voice and a buzzing as her own name was called.

"Ariko Ashita, someone is here for you." Ari wiped her eyes and walked slowly to the door, blinking in surprise. She had expected it would be a while until her parents got the voicemail about her detainment. But it had only been a short while. There was no way that Mika and Xun could have found out quite that fast… She tried to think of who would already be there to bail her out.

"Here you go. Full bail was posted. Try to stay out of trouble next time, Miss Ashita." The mustached guard said, leading Ari to the exit of the police office, where an elderly woman waited.

She was small and frail looking, with pale wrinkled skin that looked paper-thin and delicate. She carried a cane made of polished ivory, and her clothes were rather out of date – a dress that fell to her ankles, and a red velvet jacket. However, it was clear that the woman was wealthy, and kept herself polished. Her silvery hair was swept into an elaborate bun, and she wore visibly expensive jewelry, decked in gold and pearls. Old, and short as she was hunched over her cane, her eyes were a deep sea green and visibly intelligent. Her smile was small and secretive, marked by scarlet lipstick. Ariko timidly walked over to thank the stranger, before it suddenly struck her who this woman was. She hadn't been seen in public for many years – leaving the press releases to Future Industries official CEO. But there was no mistaking her eyes and smile… This was Asami Sato. Brilliant philanthropist, businesswoman, and innovator. The woman who had been closest to Avatar Korra until the very end.

Ariko couldn't think of any words to say, her heart suddenly racing. She matched the striking features to photos from her history books, even if they were worn and creased. Her mouth opened, but no intelligent words came to mind.

Asami shook Ari's hand with a soft smile, her hands covered with a pair of black velvet gloves. "Hello, Miss Ashita. I'm Asami Sato, and I don't believe we've had the pleasure." She gave a small chuckle, turning to hold the door for their departure. "Korra once told me she had a similar first outing into the City. I almost expected to meet you this way, more or less."

She gave a small, shy smile. "Thank you, Ms. Sato." As Asami left the building, Ariko followed quietly. The door swung shut behind them.

As they left, two of the officers exchanged glances, speaking in low, hushed voices.

"We've found her." Came the first, with a sly smile.

The second, the mustachioed guard, frowned, examining Ariko's disappearing shape as she went further and further from the station. "Are you positive? Did anyone else see her?"

"No… I was the only officer that saw her Airbend. To everyone else, she's an ordinary Earthbender." He narrowed his gaze, crossing his arms. "But I know what I saw."

The second guard sighed, before looking to the ceiling. "We've waited so long, and it's finally time." He examined a small, scarlet tattoo on his left wrist, shaking his head. "Tarusa is going to be incredibly excited. I'll send word tonight."

The first guard didn't say anything, but he smiled brightly, rubbing a tattoo of his own. They exchanged one more rapid nod, before disappearing to their own jobs – a slow whistle echoing through the air.

Asami and Ariko entered into a long Satomobile, painted glossy black. The inside was far more luxurious than any vehicle Ari had ever seen, with slick wooden panels and seats that Ari sunk far too deep into. The two of them both sat in the back, while an older man with kind eyes drove the vehicle, saying nothing but tipping his hat in greeting. Ariko understood that Asami Sato had to be one of the wealthiest people in Republic City, but physically seeing the extravagance was a different experience entirely. She stared out the window for a moment, watching the Republic City streets fly by as they began their journey.

"So tell me, how was your first trip into Republic City?" Asami said, pouring two glasses of water, and handing one to Ariko.

Ari nodded in appreciation, before giving a timid response. "It was lovely. You have a beautiful city, Ms. Sato."

"Well, I wouldn't say that about all of the City… But it is home. And it is where my fondest memories are. Don't tell your teachers, but I think your trip with to the police station was worth it." Asami chuckled. "Without a little free time you're bound to go stir crazy out there on the island; at the very least you did Korra's memory." She took a sip from her water, examining Ariko with a silent smile.

"Thank you Ms. Sato." Ari stammered, provoking another chuckle from Asami.

"Ariko, you don't have to call me Ms. Sato. Asami will do." She folded her hands in her lap. "The White Lotus is an organization that requires a lot of resources, especially now. When your identity was kept classified, The United Republic withdrew funding, especially since we _appear_ to be in a time of peace."

Asami looked out the window, with long extended glance. "But I've learned peace often gives way for another dark force to rise in power. Korra defeated so many agents of terror – and after each, a new threat quickly took its place. I took over funding the White Lotus, ensuring that everything would be prepared for your training. Besides, the money wasn't doing any good just sitting there, and I believe in the Avatar's purpose."

"From what Korra described, it's a lot to go through Avatar training. It was my specific hope that we could have waited until you were sixteen to begin training, but we couldn't hold back the tides of danger for much longer."

Ari perked up. This idea of danger, an unnamed threat, had lingered on the minds of all her superiors. Xun and Mika had both mentioned it, and yet Ariko still had been kept in the dark. "Ms. Sato… I keep hearing about danger…" Her voice locked up. It was difficult mustering the strength to speak to her, given her elegance – even in old age – and her intimidating history. "…Is there any way I can be kept in the loop about well… Exactly what it is? People keep talking about some force that requires the services of a trained Avatar. And well… I don't know anything about it other than it exists."

Asami sighed, giving a small secretive smile. "I'd tell you if we had a clear understanding. But what we know right now is whispers. With modern technology, people can keep to the shadows more easily. All we know is that there are groups out there desperate for your identity."

"Desperate?"

"Million-dollar-bounty desperate. Which is why we have to keep you in the right hands."

Ari nodded, looking towards her lap. A million dollar bounty on her head. For the rest of the car ride, Ariko's head buzzed with questions to ask Asami – questions about Korra, about her life. But she couldn't bear to ask them, not with a million dollar weight on her chest. They arrived, and Asami left Ariko on a private ferry to Air Temple Island. She stepped off the boat after a long silent ride, trying to avoid eye contact with the two women waiting for her on the dock.

"There's our little fugitive." Mika huffed with a smile, folding her arms. "You probably already know that you're in for some extra practice this week. And we'd rather you not take Miss Asami out of her busy schedule any more. Got it?" Ari responded with a silent nod.

Xun didn't say anything, but it was clear from her expression that she was internally seething in anger.

"To your room for now, got it Ari?" Mika asked, but it felt more like a command. Ari obeyed without question; it was better to handle Mika's hearty orders than wait until Xun's anger came to surface.

Days passed, and Mika was a stern teacher – but slowly she eased up on Ariko. Especially since Ari's skills at Earthbending were quickly improving. Mika rocketed a series of large stones towards Ari, who deflected and fired them right back with a series of punches. She broke into a bright smile, pumping her fist, and practicing a little victory dance.

"Don't celebrate too fast!" Mika shouted with a smile, dodging the stone and stomping the ground, sending a platform of stone underneath Ariko, knocking her off her feet. Ari tumbled to the side, but quickly rolled upwards, shoving the platform back towards Mika – catching her off guard. She ducked to her left, laughing. "You've definitely proven your base element as Earthbending. Now tell me, when am I going to see this metalbending you told me about? From your unfortunate escapades in Republic City?"

Ari popped her shoulder, shrugging. "I guess I had been waiting for you to show it to me? I've never like, _tried_ to metalbend. It just happened in the heat of the moment when we were running."

Mika looked up. "We might need to recruit someone else then for metalbending… I'm afraid I'm no use as a tutor here."

"You're not?"

She cracked her own knuckles. "My sisters and I never really got the hang of it. But it's perfectly alright, we all got lavabending from Dad. I guess our particular type of bending was too hot for most folks to handle." Mika arched her back as she began to bend the room back into its normal shape. Boulders and lopsided piles of rubble quickly folded themselves back into the ground and walls. Ari carefully stepped around Mika's cleaning, watching as the evidence of their practice fight vanished before her eyes. She tiptoed as a round hunk of stone swirled by her ankle, taking time to look into Mika's olive-green eyes.

"You mention your sisters a lot… Where are they? Why aren't they with the White Lotus like you? Or your brother?" Mika stiffened, and Ariko couldn't help but flinch. Perhaps she'd asked the wrong question.

But just as quickly as her body had tensed, Mika loosened back to her old self, looking down over her shoulder at Ariko with an easy smirk. She clapped her hands off, sending a shower of dust towards the ground. "My sisters are pretty busy ladies, off all over the place. They never really had time to dedicate to the White Lotus – Jia used to be a pretty big pro-bender, but now she does a lot of commentary and organizing for the different leagues. Hard to imagine settling down here when your face has been plastered to Champion-Flake Cereal, y'know?"

"Naoki is enjoying her non-retirement too. She used to be a big mover star – taking after Dad. Now she devotes all her time to animal rescue and charity, spending most of her time in Zaofu. Sometimes she'll do a mover or too now, but she doesn't take many roles recently. The idea of being cast as the heroine's mom is absolutely degrading to her, the Diva." Mika looked up with a snort. "And then as far as my brother Zan goes – the baby – he's off in Zaofu too. He was the only Airbender, and is pretty significant in the restoration projects for Airbender culture."

Her voice trailed off as she went through the list of siblings, smile flattening. "They were all too busy to help with a lot of the work here, especially since before you got here we didn't have much to do." Quickly she recovered, walking up and ensnaring Ariko in a hug. "But I wouldn't change it for the world. Y'know, you're probably getting to the point where we can put Xun to work… You managed some sneaky Airbending too back in the City, might as well try to build on the skills you got there, right?"

"Right." Ariko said, trying to fake enthusiasm. Ever since she got back from the city, Xun hadn't said two words to her without sneaking in a criticism.

As if on command, Xun peeked into the room, expressionless. She turned her sharp, dark eyes towards Ari, as if challenging her to complain. "I thought I heard my name. Excellent suggestion, Mika."

Ari straightened. It had already been a long afternoon of Earthbending practice, and the idea of attempting a bending style she'd only managed once sounded like torture. Made even worse by the fact that her instructor would be the insensitive Amazon drill-sargeant, as opposed to the kooky Aunt. Yet the idea of speaking out terrified her even more. "I'll try my hardest, ma'am." Ari said quietly, avoiding eye contact and drifting her gaze towards the ground.

"Thank you for your assistance with training Mika. If you'll give the Avatar and I some space, I'll try to show her a few basics of Airbending." Her eyes narrowed. "Of course, given that she irresponsibly chose to use Airbending in the City, she may have no need for my instruction."

Ari frowned, mumbling quickly in defense. "I promise Xun, no one saw but my friend…"

All Xun had to do was lift her hand silently. It struck Ariko at how effortlessly sophisticated she was, with her shaved hair and pointed features. Xun could have a life as a model, given the way she favored billowy clothes and seemed statuesque from every angle. Yet while she'd surely excel in the new world, she did tried her hardest to keep any of this modern flair away from Ari's education. Ariko let her mind drift to the waste of style, giving her instructor a small bow and halfhearted apology.

"Good." Xun chirped. "So show me the Airbending you're so capable of displaying."

Ari lifted her palms, waiting for them to act of their own accord. Of course, nothing happened. She tried a few arm motions, willing her muscle memory to act, but without the panic of a bystander in danger – without the adrenaline pulsing through her veins – she found it impossible to summon wind as she had done before. She wordlessly gave Xun a defeated look.

Xun in turn paced around her, summoning a cyclone in miniature to rest at the base of her palm, tattoos twisting around her arms and up towards its base. "Bending isn't a tool to be utilized the moment things start to go wrong. Especially from you, Avatar." She skittered the cyclone to her other palm, eyes focused on it. The swirling gust of air just bobbed along. "I've been disappointed since you got here that you haven't taken your responsibilities seriously. Do you know how long it took me to become an Airbending Master?"

Ari sat there, unsure whether or not to answer. She stood there in silence.

"Fourteen years. That's how old you are, correct? And there have been people that accomplished this feat at even younger ages, because they treat bending as an extension of themselves. Instead of a party trick, or something best served during special occasions." Xun narrowed her eyes. "You may have grown up in a place that has abandoned the old world, but here – at the very least during Airbending training with me – I expect you to immerse yourself in tradition. Airbending was nearly lost due to tragedy once. I will not allow it to be lost again to laziness. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am." Ari responded, putting up her fists.

"Fists are an Earthbender's stance." Xun huffed. "To Airbend means to move with fluidity." She held up her hands, palms open. Ari mimicked the action, blinking.

"Now, the first thing to note when Airbending is—"

"—I have to go to the bathroom." Ari said quickly, swallowing the nervousness that had grown in her stomach. She wasn't ready for this. Not in the way that Xun wanted. After returning from Republic City, training that was rigid, and condemning of everything she cherished in life – she felt sick before the first spar had even took place. Xun looked at her with skepticism, before rolling her eyes and scoffing.

"Go on then. I want you back here in five minutes."

Taking her opportunity, Ari darted down the hall, breathing heavily as she considered her options. As the Avatar, she had to do this, but it was intimidating. With Earthbending she had felt at ease, recalling the basic moves she had used at school and with her family. Airbending with _her_ of all people chilled her entire body with a sense of overwhelming dread. She needed support from someone other than Mika, who would laugh it off and insist that deep down Xun had a heart of gold. _Of course, what Mika couldn't say was that it was under a glacier's worth of ice._ Ari ran towards the one phone in the Temple, a little blue-painted pay phone wired to the wall, and clicked it off the receiver, fumbling in her pockets to find the crumpled number.

After a few rings, a sleepy voice chimed in response. "Dae here. Who is it?"

Ari brightened at her friend's voice. "Dae? It's Ariko."

"Ari!" Dae said, her voice perking up. "I was hoping you'd call - you've gotta help me. This kid won't leave me alone."

Ari had hoped to alleviate her problems, not cause more. She twirled the cord of the phone with a frown. "…Who won't leave you alone?"

"This kid. Said you saved his life, he knows you're the Avatar, would do anything to thank you in person… Super annoying really. I keep trying to tell him I don't know anything, keep my promise, yada yada, but he's persistent. Keeps running by the café, pretty sure my parents think we're dating or something." Her voice practically was drenched in an eye roll. "You gotta swing by here, tell him you're welcome or do a jig for all I care. Whatever it takes to make him go away."

"I'll try…" Ari said, scratching at her hair. "Right now we're kinda busy with training, and I'm a little freaked out – one of my teachers has been really mad at me since I ran off to the City, and now-"

Dae's voice chimed in, distracted. "-Hey, my mom's asking me to help downstairs. Gotta go, talk to you soon Fluffy? You'll stop by the restaurant?"

Without getting the problem off her chest, Ari gave a slow sigh. "Sure Dae. Talk to you later." She hung up the phone with a heavy click, slowly making her way down the hallway with deliberate steps. She was going to be considered late by Xun, surely, and get in trouble for that too. With a heavy heart she pushed open the doors, locking eyes with Xun. Unlike what she expected though, Xun's eyes were not filled with scorn, but terror. And her thin body was restrained by four strangers, body wrapped tight in black fabric.

"No!" She shouted, twisting air around them in a circle, throwing the men at the walls. One of them stepped forth and Earthbended underneath her, but Xun had the upper hand when it came to speed. She swerved out of the way, whipping a long string of wind at them in a crescent gust. He was thrown back. Ariko stood there, gaping, until she realized that one had ran up and reached to grab her own guard, laughing at his own success.

"There you are, Miss!" He chuckled, two eyes peering out from behind a black mask. Ari yelped, yanking her arm back and punching at the floor, shooting him above her on a platform of stone. He shoved the platform down as Ariko sped towards the door, heart pounding in fear. She prayed this was some kind of test, some trick devised by Xun to prove once more she wasn't ready. She saw stones hurled behind her, faster and larger than any Mika had used to practice. Ari ducked and rolled, twisting to send a shower of dust behind her as she continued her sprint for the door.

Behind her, Xun lept to her feet and spread her hands, exacerbating the dirt-tan cloud with pursed lips. She pulled her tunic over her mouth, striking downwards repeatedly in the direction of the shadowed figures from behind her screen of dust. "Get Mika!" She said with a muffled voice, fending off a pair of approaching shadows. Trying her hardest to ignore the figures behind her, Ari heeded her warning, darting off to spot Mika down the hallway, blinking at her in confusion.

"I heard the noise down the hall… Ari what's wrong?" She said, before widening her eyes in surprise at the two shadow figures right behind her.

"That!" Panted Ariko, hiding behind Mika and huffing to catch her breath. Mika balled her fists, tensing and rippling the ground beneath the shadows, catching one off guard. The other jumped, collapsing to the ground and sending back the tremor in Mika and Ari's direction. He was quickly dispatched though by Xun, who emerged from the dust behind him to Airbend him in the side, causing him to collapse with a grunt of shock.

"There's more coming. We have to get to the bison." Xun said with a slick voice. "Let's go. Mika – help me stir up as much dust as we can."

"Got it." Mika stomped rock to submission at their feet, churning into a fine powder that Xun cast to the wind. They ran to the stables, Ariko constantly looking over her shoulders to catch shadowed figures and shouting. At last, they reached the Bison, Sprinkles making noises of shock and alarm as Mika heaved Ari over the side. She and Xun lept in, and with more grace than Ari could muster on her solo mission, Xun clicked Sprinkles into flight.

"What about Nova?" Ari protested, blinking down at the dusty temple that grew smaller and smaller below them. As if on command, a meow-hoot sounded as her Owlcat emerged from the dust, fur raised and wings beating rapidly as it flew to catch up with them. It fumbled and lept into Ariko's hands, where she tried her hardest to stroke the gray fur down and calm her lashing tail.

"I think the better question is… What about us?" Mika said quietly, turning to look at the dwindling temple with an unsteady grimace.


End file.
